Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31840: Space-Grown Crystals: Unveiling the Hidden Structures of Life

Neutron crystallography is a powerful technique for understanding the atomic structure of biological molecules. However, this method requires crystals that are not only large but also near-perfect. That’s where microgravity comes in. The experiment "Growth of Large, Perfect Protein Crystals for Neutron Crystallography," led by Dr. Gloria Borgstahl from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, utilized the ISS to grow protein crystals in the ideal environment. Conducted during Expeditions 57/58 through 61/62, the goal was to grow crystals of sufficient quality for neutron diffraction analysis. Unlike X-rays, neutrons are sensitive to light atoms like hydrogen, making them especially useful for biological research. The Earth’s gravity causes sedimentation and convection, which distort growing crystals. But in microgravity, those effects disappear, allowing crystals to grow slowly and symmetrically. The team focused on a protein linked to cancer biology. By obtaining highly pure crystals, they were able to perform neutron diffraction that revealed key hydrogen bonding patterns and water molecule positions. These insights are invaluable for drug design, particularly for creating molecules that target enzyme active sites. The success of this experiment also supports future crystallography studies in space. By proving that neutron crystallography can benefit from space-grown crystals, it lays the groundwork for more advanced biomedical research in orbit. This not only enhances our knowledge of human biology but also sets the stage for space-based pharmaceutical innovation.

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